12-23-2022, 03:39 AM
(12-23-2022, 02:48 AM)Gone in 60_imp Wrote: I've mentioned before that our shop is in a somewhat unsavory part of Orange County. Years ago, we retired one of our F350 Dually tow rigs to our office to use as a shop truck. It was parked behind our shop. The tailgate was stolen twice. One of the times I went to buy a replacement from a guy on Craig's, he had me meet him at a storage unit where he had dozens of tailgates from several different types of trucks. I had my choice of three different ones from his collection in our color. Wonder where he got them....
The truck itself was stolen four times in two years. The first three times, it was found within a few days, within a few blocks of the office. An older Ford diesel can be breached, started and driven with nothing more than a large, flat-blade screwdriver, and it was taken just to move things - easier and cheaper than renting a truck, I suppose. Once, the thief left us a rather nice set of ratchet tie-down straps in the back.
I got very good at changing out the complete lock set in the truck - Ignition, both doors and tailgate, within an hour. The fourth time, it disappeared for good. We replaced it with the boss' old Honda Odyssey van that his family used to haul the family around with. Their kids were grown and the van was spent. It's beat up, faded paint, and fits the neighborhood. It's had its converter stolen, and the license plate a few times, but, luckily, it hasn't completely disappeared.
For a minute I thought you were going to say he had the very one stolen off your truck!
(12-23-2022, 02:48 AM)Gone in 60_imp Wrote: I've mentioned before that our shop is in a somewhat unsavory part of Orange County. Years ago, we retired one of our F350 Dually tow rigs to our office to use as a shop truck. It was parked behind our shop. The tailgate was stolen twice. One of the times I went to buy a replacement from a guy on Craig's, he had me meet him at a storage unit where he had dozens of tailgates from several different types of trucks. I had my choice of three different ones from his collection in our color. Wonder where he got them....
The truck itself was stolen four times in two years. The first three times, it was found within a few days, within a few blocks of the office. An older Ford diesel can be breached, started and driven with nothing more than a large, flat-blade screwdriver, and it was taken just to move things - easier and cheaper than renting a truck, I suppose. Once, the thief left us a rather nice set of ratchet tie-down straps in the back.
I got very good at changing out the complete lock set in the truck - Ignition, both doors and tailgate, within an hour. The fourth time, it disappeared for good. We replaced it with the boss' old Honda Odyssey van that his family used to haul the family around with. Their kids were grown and the van was spent. It's beat up, faded paint, and fits the neighborhood. It's had its converter stolen, and the license plate a few times, but, luckily, it hasn't completely disappeared.
A few dobermanns maybe?
I teach at a community college and a female student and I got to talking about motorcycles...she asked what I rode and I told her normally I commute on my KLR650 to which she said "so easy to steal...all you need is a flathead screwdriver". Can't remember the exact time-frame, but maybe a year later, I got a stern letter from the college's security citing me for riding my KLR650 through the campus in excess of 40mph, and through grassy areas. I was in class at the time of the incident. I never even knew because the bike was returned and parked where I had left it in the morning. Later I examined the ignition, and, indeed I could see that an object had been inserted...they keyhole was deformed a bit, widened. My key still worked, but I'll always wonder if that young lady went joy riding on my bike.